The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Saturday a plea filed by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) challenging a Calcutta High Court order that dismissed a petition against the Election Commission's (EC) directive to deploy central government and PSU employees for counting the votes polled in the West Bengal Assembly election.
Polling for the 294-member Assembly was held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4.
The high court dismissed the TMC's petition on Thursday, saying there was no illegality in the poll panel's decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees, instead of the state government staff.
According to the apex court's cause list for May 2, the TMC's plea will be heard by a bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi.
ALSO READ: Mamata Banerjee's TMC Vs BJP — Eight Exit Polls, Eight Stories. Who Has The Edge In West Bengal?
In the high court, the TMC had challenged an April 30 communication issued by the additional chief electoral officer of West Bengal that stated that at least one of the counting supervisors or assistants at each table should be a central government or PSU employee.
The TMC's counsel had argued before the high court that the communication was issued without jurisdiction and was based on mere apprehension.
The EC's counsel had contended before the high court that the Representation of the People Act, 1951, allows delegation of the commission's functions and that the directive was valid.
The poll panel's counsel had also submitted that the communication was issued on April 13, but the petition was filed only on April 30, close to the counting date, alleging that the move was intended to stall the process.
ALSO READ: West Bengal Elections: Post-Poll Violence Reported Across Several Districts, Police Launch Probe
The high court had not agreed with the TMC's allegation that its main opponent, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), controls the employees of the central government or PSUs, making them susceptible to suggestions and control by the Union government.
It had also noted that apart from the counting supervisors and assistants, micro-observers, counting agents of candidates and other personnel would also be present in the counting hall.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
